...There is a question posed by many historians: what is the cause of the Civil War? There are two main causes of the war, slavery and sectionalism. Many people believe that slavery was the only reason as to why the Civil War even happened. That however is not true. First, slavery was a huge issue debated by a very diverse group of people. In reality the North wanted to abolish slavery and the South wanted to maintain it and let it grow. With Abraham Lincoln coming into office many Southerners feared that he would take slavery away from them all together. Slavery was their way of life, it was their way of keeping the Southern economy up. When they heard that Lincoln wanted to stop the spread they took it as he was taking their property because slaves were considered property. The Southerners feared Lincoln and his coming into office. The antebellum south was coming to feel very threatened at how the North seemed to believe that they could exist without slavery, except the South was planted in the idea that they would not be able to exist without their slaves. There was a feeling of fight or flight, in this case it was both for the Southerners. Second, sectionalism was becoming more present than it had been in the past. The North and South had different morals and ideas. The South believed that slavery was perfectly fine, and that they absolutely needed it to survive. Slaves were property in the eyes of Southern people, to take away slaves would be to take away their property...
Words: 499 - Pages: 2
...Malcolm DuBose Dr. Paul A. Cimbala Seminar:Civil War Soldiers Essay 3 The extent of political ideology as a motivational factor for soldiers in the American Civil War was so great that it changed the historical narrative of the war for veterans and future southerners. In his semi-biographical book, The Making of a Confederate, Williams L. Barney uses the life of an elite Western North Carolina planter named Walter Lenoir, and his descent into the Lost Cause ideology. Barney presents Lenoir as a comparatively liberal man of the time. Educated at his home states university, prior to the attack on Fort Sumner he planned to move to Minnesota, a fairly young state that was actively recruiting Americans from other states and Europeans to solidify population dominance over the inhabitant native tribes. Barney characterizes the Lost Cause phenomenon as an attachment to the faded glory of a romanticized Confederate past. Using Williams L. Barney as a model of the Confederate soldier, his choice of subject varies from the popular trend of studying the poor southern confederate soldiers and his motivations. Lenoir, an elite southern planter was the quintessential model of who would most benefit from a victorious south. Though southern identity contains it fare share of myriad ambiguities, Barney presents a semi-biographical analysis that precisely dissects the often-proclaimed complexity of the Lost Cause narrative. With intention, Barney shows that the preservation of slavery...
Words: 677 - Pages: 3
...The American Civil War was a war between the confederate and union states. It started on April 12, 1861. It ended on May 9, 1865. By the end of the civil war, more than 620,000 men died. One of the causes of the American Civil War was slavery. The confederate states were eleven southern states that promoted the slavery. The confederacy is also known as the confederate states and “the South”. The union states was against slavery. The Union is known as “the North”. The union defeated the confederate states in 1865. The union put an end to slavery when they won. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the southern states. Lincoln was killed in 1865 by John Wilkes Booth, who was a southern supporter. One cause...
Words: 400 - Pages: 2
...Many people learn about the war that changed America, but what were the causes of this war? The Civil War, as most know was the war against the North and the South. Although debates on the causes are common for this subject, the overall cause of the Civil War was the differences between the Northern and Southern states on slavery. Southern states wanted slavery, but the south did not agree with this. When adding territories to America these arguments posed a problem which lead to temporary solutions like the Kansas-Nebraska Act, leading to people protesting, like John Brown, which then lead to major problems, like “Bleeding Kansas.” First of all, a starting cause of the civil war were the disagreements of slave territories, trying to settle...
Words: 586 - Pages: 3
...Over the years people have thought of many different causes for the civil war that took over 600,000 American lives in 1861-1865. Many people believe that the only true cause of the civil war was because of slavery but the war itself was fought over something much bigger than just slavery it was fought over the great political difference between the North and South. The actions of the Democratic politicians from the South and Republican politicians from the North kept the conflict between the states at the center of the political debate for years and made the war inevitable. Key political causes of the civil war include the acts congress passed, the split that happened throughout the years between congress, and most importantly the election in 1860 that elected Abraham Lincoln as president. Congress, throughout the years since America won independence passed laws they believed would help their nation. But as slavery became more of a problem in the nation, acts passed by congress became more important and affected the outcome of the American nation and its citizens much greater. Congress passed many acts throughout the years leading to the Civil War, but some very important ones that both held off the civil war and pushed the civil war are the Missouri Compromise of 1820, the Connecticut Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas – Nebraska Act of 1854. The Missouri Compromise was passed in 1820 after Missouri requested in 1819 to be part of the Union as a slave state. Missouri’s request...
Words: 2858 - Pages: 12
...The Civil War had the largest death toll for any American war, nearly 620,000. The causes of the Civil War was caused by what is to be believed four main things, know as the four S's. The Civil War needed every solider to end it but some were truly amazing like the two presidents and the two generals of the warring sides. The Confederate and Union army had many battles throughout the war and the tide of war changed with each battle but some greatly changed the outcomes. The war's end came slower than it was thought to come and many great things came out of it like the end to slavery and the reconstruction of America. The Civil War commenced in order with the causes, the people who were a big impact, battles, and the results. There were many...
Words: 1803 - Pages: 8
...Causes of the American Civil War (Colonial America to the 1850s) A lot of important events and people have paved the way towards the American civil war. Each event that ever happened within the time period of 1790 to 1850 all lead to the civil war. Some example of key people and events would be the following: the bill of rights being ratified, the fugitive slave act, the cotton gin, Tennessee, John Adams, George Washington, Gabriel's Rebellion, Ohio, the Louisiana Purchase, the Embargo act, the International slave trade, James Madison, the Battle of New Orleans, Reverend Allen, Missouri compromise, Demark Vesey's Conspiracy, Africans losing their boats, Monroe Doctrine, Nat Turner's revolt, The Alamo, Gag rule, Trail of tears, Harriet Tubman, California. All of these are some major events that caused the civil war itself. All of these events had also contributed to the rise of the English colony and the break off point from the mainland in Europe. All of the events/ people mention previously are going to be used to tell how the American civil war started and how each led to a chain reaction of other events that occurred. These events will each tell a story of its own and slowly build up to the civil war itself. Other events along the way will show up as a result of an event occurring. Both the north and the South had different events which lead up to the civil war but we will mostly focus on the more major events that took place. The Rise of...
Words: 3043 - Pages: 13
...What caused the Civil War? The Civil War was caused by several different issues among the states. Slavery, state rights, and tariffs, were some of the major disagreements that caused the Southern States to secede from the Union. The secession of the Southern states signaled the start of the Civil War. Southern states were infuriated by the high tariffs that were placed on manufactured goods that were processed in the Northern states. Some Southern states believed they should be able to determine whether or not they want to follow nationwide tariffs on imported, manufactured goods. The tariffs did not affect the North as much as the South, because the economy of the North was dependent on the many factories that produced a variety of different...
Words: 325 - Pages: 2
...Causes of the American Civil War THE CAUSES OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR I Introduction to Civil War II Social Causes A Differences in society B Westward Expansion III Economic Causes A Differences in economy B Westward Expansion IV Political Causes A Government V Aftermath A Costs of War CAUSES OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR I. Introduction to Civil War The American Civil War was a war fought within the United States of America between the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy) starting from 1861 and ending in 1865. This war was one of the most destructive events in American history, costing more than 600,000 lives. It was thought to be one that helped shape the character of the American individual today. From the Southern point of view, this war was a War of Rebellion, or a War for Southern Independence. From the Northern point of view this war was seen as a revolution. This unfortunate war started as a result of many years of differences between the Union and the Confederacy. It erupted after many years of conflict building up between the two regions. Between the North and the South there lay deep economic, social and political differences, but it is important to understand that Slavery was the root of cause of these differences. II. Social Causes There were many factors that contributed to the onset of the Civil War. Socially, the North and the South were built on different standards. The South, or the Slave States, was a slave-based community that followed...
Words: 1323 - Pages: 6
...Causes Of The American Civil War Four years of American bloodshed on American soil. Why? The reasons are varied. From the formation of America to 1860, the people in this country were divided. This division was a result of location and personal sentiments. Peace could not continue in a country filled with quarrels that affected the common American. There is a common misconception that the American Civil War was fought only over slavery, when in fact there were several other reasons for why the War Between the States was fought. The Civil War (or the War of the Rebellion as it is officially known) lasted for four years, from 1861-1865. It was between the American people; primarily the northern states vs. the southern states. The South was called the Confederate States of America (also known as the Rebels) and was led by President Jefferson Davis. The North was still known as the United States of America, or the Union, and the people were called the Yankees or sometimes the Federals. They were led by president Abraham Lincoln. If one were to ask the average person the causes of the War Between the States, that person would most likely answer with one word: slavery. But this was not the only cause. Slavery had been a historical problem before the war. Slavery came up in debate during the making of the American Constitution, and both Northern and Southern states held slaves. In 1611, a group of Scottish women and children were sold as the first slaves in America, and...
Words: 1571 - Pages: 7
...The American Civil War defined the future of America’s framework, but the various causes of the war also defined the outcome of the battle. From economic differences, to political disagreements, as well as friction from the northern and southern views on slavery put the nation to the brink of war. And growing sectionalism also caused problems within the two sides, until a fever pitch was inevitably hit. With the difference in economy, the growing sectionalism between the north and south, and the political disagreements, war was all but preventable. The economic differences between the north and the south were a major factor in the Civil War’s tension starting to build. Tariffs on imported good gave the north an economic advantage, as their exports were faster to make and more desired. While the south’s exports, mostly cotton, took time because of how...
Words: 551 - Pages: 3
...The Cause The American Civil war was a fight between the Northern states and the Southern states. The South was sick of the North telling them what to do and making laws they didn’t want. So as a result of this the South decided to break away and formed their own country, which is called the “confederacy”. The North wanted to stay united as one country so the war began. There were many events that led up to the Civil War. The events lasted from about 1860 until 1865. One important event being Bleeding Kansas, this was a fight between pro slavery and antislavery for the new territory of Kansas. Hundreds of men crossed the Missouri border and went and out-voted the anti slavery settlers in Kansas. This brought vicious retaliation from the anti...
Words: 479 - Pages: 2
...the secession of the South from the North as the money obtained from cotton export would support the Confederacy. It would also support countries such as Britain and France to support the Confederacy as opposed to the North as the economies of these countries heavily depended on the textile industry. It was a failure as other countries did not want to get into the conflict. In foreign affairs, the South had been initially confident of the power and influence of “King Cotton,” the crop that accounted for more than half the value of U.S. exports before the war. Confederates felt that the importance of cotton would force diplomatic recognition from the Federal government and European countries. Neither the commissioners sent abroad in 1861 nor the permanent envoys who replaced them were able to secure recognition from Great Britain, France, or any other European power. The South was able, however, to buy considerable war matériel and several fast ships that destroyed much Federal shipping on the high seas. South = one crop economy By 1840 - 50% of US exports was cotton / was providing 50% of the world supply / providing 75% of England’s supply 1/5 of workers tied to the textile industry but cotton also drives northern economy - needs cotton for textiles (supporting abolition and making $ off slavery). Different economies of the North and South between 1815-1861 North: Industrial Abolition slavery No need for slaves They didn’t need cheap labors like slaves because...
Words: 2088 - Pages: 9
...Many people believe that the major cause of the Civil War was because of slavery. In reality there were several factors that including about regional diversity, differing interpretation of the constitution, slavery, state's right, sectionalism, especial territorial expansion, led to the Civil War. States’ right is one of the most symbols of the American Civil War. States’ Right refers to the struggle between the federal government and individual states over political power. Since the time of the Revolution, two camps emerged: those arguing for greater states’ rights and those arguing that the federal government needed to have more control. At the Constitutional Convention and create, in secret, the US Constitution, many felt that the new constitution ignored the rights of states to continue to act independently. They felt that the states should still have the right to decide if they were willing to accept certain federal acts. And this resulted in the idea of nullification, whereby the states would have the right to rule federal acts unconstitutional. The federal government denied states this right. When nullification would not work and states felt that they were no longer respected, they moved towards secession. The Northern and Southern sections of the United States developed along different lines. The South was mostly rural and agricultural. With invention (sang che’) of the cotton gin in 1793,cotton farming becoming the most profitable (loi nhuan) business in the South....
Words: 856 - Pages: 4
...In the South opposition to the War was based on the fact that not all people relied on slavery. The poor and lower income farmers couldn’t afford to purchase Slaves. In fact, some of the low class southerners resented how the rich treated them. Another form of opposition occurred based on nationalism. They had a strong sense of pride being part of the United States of America. In the North the war was opposed because not all Northerners felt that strongly about slavery. In contrast, some Northerners felt that slave freedom would cause a social conflict and the blacks would feel equal to the lower white class. Some of the North population also feared that blacks would over populate the North and take job opportunities. The Civil War...
Words: 251 - Pages: 2
